"Perhaps you'll also be obliged for what will follow," he roared, aggravated by my coolness.
"What an exceedingly unpleasant person this is," I said to Nessa. "I'm sorry he can't behave himself; but you must try not to let it worry you. I suppose he can't help it."
"He doesn't worry me in the least, thank you," she replied contemptuously.
"You hold your tongue, you baggage," he shouted, turning on her.
"Major Borsch!" I cried, rising.
"Sit down, you infernal swinehound! And as for you, you——"
The sentence was not finished. My temper flew out of the window. If I was to be charged with murder, a little extra such as a smack on the mouth of even a major wouldn't make much difference, so I gave him one, and put enough behind it to knock him down.
An involuntary scream from Nessa was drowned in his yells for his men; and two of them rushed in and seized me. He didn't get up until I was thus rendered helpless and then kept far enough away, pouring out a torrent of cursing abuse while he staunched the blood on his cut lips.
Captain Brulen arrived in the middle of it, with Freibach close on his heels; and the bully declared I had tried to murder him in order to escape. It was such a palpable absurdity that Freibach turned his face away to smile.
"This man was insulting the lady in my charge and I struck him, Captain Brulen," I explained. "You probably know him well enough to understand it is just what he would do."